National Republican., 1887-01-05
Civilization pIsrraoed.

In the January number OF the Forum
Mrs. Rebecca A. FELTON,, wife OF q Demo-
cratic ex-congressman and a lady Of the
best repute, discusses the convict lease
system in vogue In Georgia in manner
that fully iustifes the many criticisms Of
Its atrocities that have appeared in these
columns. As our readers know, the Empire
State Of the south has surrendered to con-
tractors the entire control OF the convicts
until April l., 1899, and the only Limitation
upon this arrangement Is that provision
Of the lease act directs the governor to
enforce certain regulations as to the separa-
tion Of the sexes. But right here pecu-
liarity of the situation appears In the fact
that Gov. Gordon is himself lessee OF
convict labor, answerable to the state in a
bond Of $4,000, which is in force until
April, 1850. Georgia to- day presents the
anomalous condition Of a governor work
ing state convicts, or farming out criminals
for his own private emolument, while the
state has no other power or authority from
which to expect protection from lessee In
fluences.n
The Boston Journal says that ''in this
official report stated in 1878 that there was
neither physician nor chaplain, and that
the principal keeper had not made the in.
. spections required by law. VIII Gen. Cor.
don as governor compel himself as lessee TO
obey the lawP United States Senator
Brown also works 525 convicts in coal
mines IN iron foundries and around coke
ovens, and 1t was In bis camp several
months ago that the convicts made des.
pefate "striken against inhuman treat
ment, and were atarved into submission.
In 1878 a committee of the legislature re-
ported thus upon the abuses which are per
petrated under this system;
We find in some of tho camps men and
women chained together and occupying the
same hunks. The result Is there are now In
the penitentiary twenty-five children ranging
from months to three years. We would ask,
where Is the possibility of reformation in q
system where men and women are chained
together, ana where we are annually raising a
number of children from mothers who are on
the chain; where there is neither chaplain nor
physician, exceDt such as the lessecs provide?
To turn the criminals over to private parties
who have Eo interest in them except that
prompted by avarice, is TO subject them TO
treatment as various as the characters of those
who have them in charge-in many cases
amounting to nothing less than capital punish
ment, with slow torture added.
II there be any readers of the NATIONAL
REPUBLICAN who think that our structures
on this iniquity are not warranted by the
facts in the case we commend the above
to their serious attention, and also invite
them to read this paragraph from the Bos-
ten journal:
The chairman of the committee making
this report, Mr.. r. A. Aston, paid with his life
the penalty for attacking this outrageous sys-
TEN. March II, 1879. he was killed In the state
capitol of Georgia by q sublessee, the contro-
yersy which occasoned his death arising out
If he subieting Qf The cOnvict labor controlled BY
GtRCrdi nOtO GorcrnCr, Gordon. II is q mild use
Of language to say that these facts are shame
and disgrace TO the prosperous state of Geor-
Gin. There is no excuse or palliation for them
They constitute stain upon the fair name OF
tho stato which can never be erased until the
entire system is swept away. Mr.. Henry Grady,
of the Atlanta Constitution, as a representative
Of the "new SOUTH" has greatly interested
northern people by his recent speech. Why
does he not make use OF his eloquence nearer
home in arousing Georgans to sense of their
disgrace? There is good field for him. We
have little expectation, however, that he will
enter 1t, for If we remember Alright, when Mr..
Cable published his protest against southern
brutalitics in the convict lease system and In
| the treatment of the negroes, the Atlanta Con.
| stdaiion was one of the papers which denounced
and derided him.
Our southern brethren will probably at
| tribute these comments TO sectional All.
mostly" but we can assure them that there
can be no letup till this abomination is
| wiped out.